The Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) new Primary Inspection Kiosks have gone live at Ottawa International Airport. The self-service kiosks are part of CBSA’s strategy to eliminate the paper declaration cards distributed to passengers on board aircraft.
The kiosks allow travellers to verify their travel documents, complete an on-screen declaration, and confirm their identity using facial authentication technology. The kiosks are complemented by the CanBorder – eDeclaration app. Passengers can fill out their declaration details via the app, which will then provide them with a quick response (QR) code to scan at a kiosk upon arrival.
Ottawa International Airport is the first airport to make use of the new kiosks, which will be rolled out to other major Canadian airports this year.
The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, said: “Smart border management includes leveraging technology to improve security and help reduce wait times at Canada’s busiest airports. The Government of Canada is committed to using digital tools to improve services to Canadians and international travellers, ensuring smooth and efficient airport experiences.”
Adding to this, Mark Laroche, Ottawa International Airport Authority President and CEO, commented: “Using technology for more efficient border processing is welcome news for returning residents, and will enhance the passenger experience for arriving visitors. We thank the CBSA for allowing our airport to be the first to introduce the Primary Inspection Kiosks, and will continue to engage with our partners to make efficiency initiatives a recurring theme in all projects at the Ottawa International Airport.”
